Bo Xilai himself chooses defence attorneys

Bo Xilai's defense attorneys said on Monday that they were chosen by Bo himself, whose multi-day trial for bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power concluded Monday at the Jinan Intermediate People's Court. Li Guifang and Wang Zhaofeng of the Beijing-based DeHeng Law Offices told Xinhua that, as far as they know, Bo's family members hired several lawyers during the investigation stage of the case and, ultimately, Bo chose and confirmed the two of them as his defense attorneys. During the review process, prosecution and court trial, Bo directly confirmed Li and Wang as lawyers to represent him, according to them. After the trial, Li Guifang told Xinhua that they had read all case files, copied relevant evidence and fully exchanged views on defense strategies with Bo during the multiple visits they paid to him. Bo, 64, is former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and a former member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.